ESPN ranked the 10 best safeties in the NFL, and this Patriots player made the list

ESPN ranked the 10 best safeties in the NFL, and this Patriots player made the list originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston

ESPN ranked the NFL’s top 10 players in each position group in July, and no New England Patriots players appeared on the top three lists.

The Patriots did not include anyone in their top edge rusher rankings. Christian Barmore was honorable mention in the defensive tackle rankings. Rhamondre Stevenson didn’t even make it to that section of the running back rankings.

The streak ended Thursday when ESPN revealed its top 10 list of security itemsand Patriots star Kyle Dugger placed 8th. The hard-hitting defensive back recorded 71 solo tackles with 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, seven passes defensed and two interceptions in 17 games last season.

Dugger was one of the few bright spots on a team that fell to last place in the AFC standings with a 4-13 record.

“He’s always been a physical, smart football player, but he’s become a more complete player every year,” an NFL personnel executive told ESPN. “He will physically hit you.”

The 28-year-old safety was a second-round pick by the Patriots in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Dugger has shown steady improvement throughout his first four professional seasons. He became not only a very good player but also a key leader, which is valuable when considering all the Super Bowl-winning veterans who have retired from the Patriots in recent years.

Dugger was a free agent entering the offseason and after initially using the transition tag on itthe Patriots finally drafted a four year extension with the veteran safety worth a maximum of $66 million.